Market Watch: Garage-punk 45 rules the market playground

The Sex Pistols grab the #3 slot on this edition of Market Watch. Photo: Virgin Records.

1. $4,999 John English III and the Heathens — “I Need You Near” b/w “Some People”: First up is an ultra-rare garage-punk single on the Sabra label, dating from 1966, by Los Angeles-based singer John English (who also sang with The Preachers). “One of the rarest garage 45s in existence,” says the seller — a claim backed up by the fact that a VG++ copy of this single sold for $7,600 on eBay in 2005. The single’s profile was no doubt boosted by the appearance of “I Need You Near” on Boulders Vol. 7.

2. $2,285 The Sweets – “Satisfy Me, Baby” b/w “Something About my Baby”:
More northern soul, this one a rare 45 on the Los Angeles-based Soultown label, from 1969. According to the item’s seller, this copy — in VG+ shape — is the first copy to show up on eBay in over three years.

Interestingly, someone has made a YouTube video set to “Something About My Baby.”

An increasingly number of rare music fans are using YouTube as a way to get rare recordings out to anyone who wants to hear them — another example of how technology and the Internet have changed the face of record collecting, for better or worse, depending on who you ask.

3. $2,247.22 The Sex Pistols — “God Save The Queen” b/w “Did You No Wrong”: The Sex Pistols’ less-than-adoring take on Britain’s long-serving monarch created much controversy, and was released all over the world including this rare South African 45 on Virgin. This copy, in excellent shape, comes in the original factory sleeve.

4. $2,113 Pee Wee, Shuck and Huey — “Beside Myself (You’re All I Got)” b/w “I Know We’re In Love”: Here we have another northern soul rarity, in VG/VG+ shape, on the Flagg label. According to the item’s seller, this single has never appeared on eBay before. “Beside Myself” was included on the CD compilation For Millionaires Only.

5. $1,802.77 The Worlocks — “I Love You” b/w “Stay By Her Side”: This ’60s garage rarity is on the Big Rock label. “I Love You” was featured on the Back from the Grave Part 3 compilation.
6. $1,802 Sequins — “Try My Love” b/w “He’s Gonna Break Your Heart”: More northern soul here, on an excellent-minus 45. This ’60s-era single came out on the Detroit Sound label.
7. $1,795 Northwind — Demo LP: In Vg+ condition, this is a 1974 demo LP by Michigan prog band Northwind.

One of just 50 copies pressed, this album features folk-influenced prog rock, with a Jethro Tull influence and lengthy moog solos.

This is a VG++ copy with a vocal version on the A-side and an instrumental on the flip. This single, on the White Diamond label, is an early production by Terry Lewis (of The Time, and also one half of the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis powerhouse production team).

9. $1,642 Prince Paul and the Swingin’ Imperials — “In The Beginning (You Really Loved Me)” b/w “This Is My Story”: Not to be confused with the hip-hop DJ/producer of the same name, this Prince Paul hailed from Burlington, N.C., and what we have here is a 1968 northern soul 45 on the Parker label, in VG++ condition.
10. $1,613.99 S.P.G. – “Loveland” b/w “Love Me Now”: We finish up this time out with yet another soul rarity.

This one is a VG+ condition 45 from Los Angeles, on the Magick label. “Loveland” appeared on the CD compilation Soul Spectrum Volume II.